In an informative sit down interview with producers Pete Rock and DJ Premier for DJPremierBlog.com the two producers discussed various projects and artists they’ve worked with including Notorious B.I.G., House Of Pain, Jeru The Damaja, Nas, and several other artists.
Among the most notable of the projects DJ Premier and Pete Rock spoke on was their work on Nas’ 1994 album Illmatic.
“I went first after Large Professor because I used to see Large Professor at Chun King a lot,” said DJ Premier in the interview. “He was playing me stuff. I was there when he made ‘One Time 4 Your Mind.’ Him and Nas would just be in there just bullshitting. I was like ‘Yo, is that gonna be on it? On the album too?’ And he’d be like ‘Nah, we just messing around.’ ‘One Time 4 Your Mind’ was just a messing around song. Then I heard the original way Large Professor did ‘It Ain’t Hard To Tell’ and I remember when he remixed it. And really the remix version is the one that’s on the album.”
Later in the interview DJ Premier explained that his track on Illmatic, “Represent,” was somewhat inspired by Pete Rock’s production on “The World Is Yours.”
“From there I got with Nas. I remember he got in the studio and we did ‘Represent’ first. That was the first one we recorded, but the version I did didn’t make the album,” DJ Premier explained. “It was a bass-line version. I played bass and then I swear to God as soon as I heard Pete do ‘The World Is Yours.’ I heard his version and went back to the studio to remix mine because I wanted to have the hottest beats on there…I really didn’t feel like the version I had was up to that level. I pride myself on being on the same level so he [Pete Rock] brought a whole different spark to it.”
Aside from speaking on their past work with Nas the two producers also gave their thoughts on a possible new project from Nas. A project that if made Pete Rock revealed wouldn’t be the same without production from the two.
“Well, I believe honestly he cannot actually have the idea of doing this album without me or him [DJ Premier]. You can’t do it,” said Pete Rock. “Not saying he can’t do it, but you gotta include us. It won’t be the same.”
LUPE FIASCO IS THE GOAT.
GO BACK TO SCHOOL FOOL!
WTF lupe fiasco aint all that,the only person that thinks he is good is himself that nigga has good lyrics wack beats. Honestly i have tried going through at least one of his albums but they always got deleted,having lyrics is one thing but having the beats to go with that is another
Nas sucks. That album was the reason why hip hop is dead. They brought out the worst trend of all time. Some baby on an album cover. Best album cover was The State vs Radric Davis.
It’s Gucci Time!
Radric, go kill yourself.
I love how this clown keeps worshiping a dude (Gucci) who won’t even be irrelevant and who people won’t even care about 10 years from now…Keep worshiping a short trend gimmick homie…How many people do you hear consistently talking about Juvenile in this present day and time? The same is gonna happen to your best pal Gucci…
lol
lol this guy’s funny – he’s clearly joking, lighten up
ur such a moron its not even funny u jackass
stopped being funny a while ago
ITS GUCCI TIME
UMMMMMMM are you sure you like this nigga go listen to bricks or lemonade and you will see. or are you talking b.s cause your from the south.
We have certain formulas but we update em with the times and everything y’know
So y’know the rhyme style is elevated
The style of beats is elevated but it’s still Nas, Pete and Premier
And it’s always a message involved
#ripguru
I’d rather see Jay-Z reconnect with Preemo — they used to make tight tracks together back in the 90s
you cant be serious lol
Nas and Preem went together like cereal and milk… they were a perfect match
NY state of mind & pt2, Represent, i gave you power, Nas is like and come and get me < theyre 90s songs that Nas and Preem worked together on, and straight up theyll kill the Jay Z/Preem catalogue
@HIP HOP HISTORIAN to be honest i dont think that people understand preemo’s beats no more. Am i saying his wack HELL NO, am i saying his outdated possibly…….
Hip Hop Historian ever head of MC Guru, Pretty sure no one fit together better than him and Premiere… Gang Starr all day!
What about KRS-One??? Him and Premiere went in on the “KRS-One” Album.
nas is the G.O.A.T. easily. hes ripped apart every beat in every verse ever.
BIG PUN IS THE G.O.A.T
nas aint all that,and his distant relatives album was wack.
Thank You. yes it was. yes it was. very weak indeed. fuck that album
what this has to be some kind of joke right…. nas is good but talib kweli and preemo have not made a track together boooooooooooooo i want a talib kweli and preemo joint
I WANNA MAKE A TRACK WITH YOUR MOM! I WANT YOUR MOM
^^^^ LMAO
^^^ LMAOOOO
nah talib kweli and pete rocks sounds smoother
rip to lady t
this nigga rap wit a razor keep it under the tongue
the school drop out, never liked the shit from day one
NASTY NAS IN YOUR AREA BWT TO CAUSE MASS HYSTERIAAAAA
Hip hop needs nas premo rock on an album, every head would cop that
nas fell of a looooooooong time ago around Stillmatic. Sure,sure hes a good story teller no doubt but everyones biting of everyone these days too the point that its even funny Nicki minaj-lil kim,drake-dead prez.Anyway my point is that lyrically he aint no big pun,or mos def, pharoahe monch theres nothing special bout him no more…….
blah blah blah nas is the g.o.a.t blah blah
With his sh!tty ear for beats, I’m convinced that Nas wasn’t even around for the production on Illmatic. Premier, Pete, Q-Tip, Large Pro, and LES got Nas to rap over some garbage beats, took the vocals, and then added the beats intended for the album.
you know what I thought I was the only person who thought that
longevity well i will give nas that,but he aint like a legend he should not be put up there with the biggie and pac like he he usually is
Nas >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Biggie and Pac
GET READY TONIGHT 12/29 HIP HOP FANS ONLY AT 9PM ET LIVE ON BKS1RADIO.COM “THE LIVE IN THE CIPHER SHOW” WE RATE & REVIEW ALONG WITH YOU THE LISTENER DJ PREMIER’S NEW RELEASE “YEAR ROUND RECORDS – GET USED TO US” GOT SOME BRAND NEW HIP HOP TRIVIA QUESTIONS & THE LATEST HIP HOP NEWS. OUR SPECIAL GUEST WILL BE NJ’S OWN MC REALEYEZ. JOIN THE MOVEMENT!!
Well get together and make a bloody album!!!! The fans have been wanting it since forever!
mmmm hopefully they will be more carefull with production rather than just stringing a couple beats together
slaughterhouse/pete rock/preemo yeah thats gold right there
To all you Major Hip Hop fans make sure you check out Rising Icon Of year 2011 Song
The Gift- Sex Music
arguably the hottest song on youtube now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bizW8Pakug
hiphopbaby76
ok ok i know you all been waiting for me to say something…here it is. nas is G.O.A.T & PREMIER & PETE ROCK ARE LEGENDS.ain’t none other!! when you speak on beats those two bring heat no matter who they work with,not saying the lyrics are always up to par. but everytime nas gets on a prem beat or rock beat it’s OVER!!! i hope they do make this new masterpiece with nas…HIPHOP NEEDS IT!! 2011 is gonna be HEATED UP with the return of SOME OF THE BEST WHO EVER DID IT ON THE MIC….lists tooooo long. TUNE IN..OH YEAH….FUCK GUCCI,LIL WAYNE,WACKA FLOCKA…AND THE REST OF THEM THAT BE FUCKIN UP MY HIPHOP!!!
AMEN MY BOROTHA, AMEN!
rass kass and pete rock vote for that
I agree!
Anybody on here hatin on Preemo gotta be under 25yrs of age!